Page 9 - TheSource_Hardies_25OCT2017

Commodity Updates
Oct 25, 2017
Squash (Eastern)
After a few weeks of light supplies on squash, growers
in Florida have started shipping. With the above normal
temperatures Florida has experienced the past month
squash production is ahead of what was projected
after hurricane Irma. Last week with light supplies in the
southeast and heavy supplies in Nogales, many buyers
started loading in the west taking pressure off the southeast
shippers. Now with production picking up in Florida the
market is a little cheaper. Quality has been good in the
southeast and very good on the newer fields in Florida.
Temperatures in Georgia and Florida are forecast to
be cooler this week so production will slow down this
weekend.
Squash (Western)
Italian, Yellow S/N and Grey squash are currently being
Harvested in Sonora Mexico and crossing through Nogales.
Heavy supply crossing through Nogales has exceeded
demand. Good quality and condition are being reported on
these three squash commodities.
Stone Fruit
Peaches and nectarines are almost finished for the season.
Small amounts available here and there. Plums continue
on and should be available for the next few weeks before
harvest winds down for the season. Quality remains good.
Pomegranates, persimmons, apple pears and kiwi are all in
full harvest now.
www.proactusa.com www.hardies.com
Tomatoes (Eastern)
The eastern seasonal slowdown has just about finished
local programs with North Carolina still producing in a
light way. Northern Florida is harvesting and absorbing
much of the demand lost to operations that have finished
in Alabama, Tennessee, and Michigan. Low demand for
tomatoes is helping to keep the market relatively flat as
speculation for escalated markets looms in the coming
days. Round tomatoes are steady with some upward
pressure as demand increases against limited supply.
Roma tomatoes are up $1 to $2 with the sharpest increase
to prices this week occurring in the bite size category.
Grape and Cherry tomatoes have finished in VA putting all
of the National demand on Northern Florida and Mexico.
Pricing is expected to continue an upward trend this month
and November is still a bit of an unknown. Though we have
not experienced the market reacting as quickly as expected
following post Irma reports, largely due to Mexico helping
to meet US National demand in recent weeks, there is still
the consensus of a potential supply gap through November
and possibly early December.
Tomatoes (Western)
Pricing is still reasonable for the season out of California
although the quality is showing multiple months of summer
heat and is considered secondary compared to Eastern
counterparts. As western crops come to an end this month,
demand will shift back towards Florida where acreage is
roughly half of what is normally available. California roma
tomatoes have already began their seasonal decline,
however supply is steady with increasing crossings from
Mexico into Texas. While California fruit quality has been
reported fair at best, Mexico has began in recent weeks
shipping good quality tomatoes helping overall supply
as California growers wrap up. Grape and cherry tomato
production remains light against rising demand pressing
prices upward. Over the next week to 10 days, domestic
yields will diminish further to a halt continuing the upward
pressure in the market that has set in this week with the
speculation of elevated pricing until December when winter
programs start.
The Source - Oct 25, 2017 | Page 9